From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Nov 7: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the State Government has no problem with senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa going to Hassan for a study tour of the drought situation.
“He (Yediyurappa) has every right to visit any district. But let him also go to Delhi and ensure that his own party government at the Centre releases the drought relief funds to Karnataka,’’ he said.
Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, the chief minister said the former BJP chief minister Yediyurappa and all his party leaders, including the 25 MPs, must prevail upon the Centre to release funds to Karnataka.
The Central study team has already toured the State and the government has submitted detailed memoranda on the drought situation, he said pointing out that out of 236 taluks in the State as many as 213 have been declared as drought affected and the State has estimated the total loss and damages to the crops at Rs 33,700 crore.
Karnataka is eagerly awaiting the Centre to release Rs 17,900 crore funds sought by the government towards drought relief works.
Siddaramaiah said the BJP leaders are trying to play political games and conducting the tamasha of drought study tours. “Whom are they fooling? Let them first go to Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to see that the funds are released,’’ he said.
Responding to JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy’s statement that the State Government’s survey of the drought situation was ‘unscientific’, the chief minister pointed out that the survey was done by the Central study team. “If he or anybody has any problem with the survey, let them take up the issue with the Centre. After all, both BJP and JD(S) are part of the Modi government now,’’ he added.
The Chief Minister expressed his condolences at the death of senior leader D B Chandre Gowda who had served the State in various capacities for over five decades.
Backward Classes must be strong to fight for their rights
Later, the Chief Minister visited Hassan district to perform the Bhoomi Pooja for the construction work of the hostel and community hall of the Backward Classes Federation and said strong organisations alone will be able to fight and demand better deal for the community.
Siddaramaiah said the Congress government had implemented the guarantee schemes to increase the purchasing power of the people, The underlying principle behind the guarantees is to ensure that everybody should get equal rights and opportunities, he explained.
Hassan district in charge K N Rajanna, legislators Shivalingegowda and Swaroop Prakash and former minister B Shivaram and Backward Classes Federation district president Puttaswamy Setty and vice president Lakshman and others were present.